Moving to Ozark: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to Ozark means moving to one of the fastest-growing suburbs in the Springfield metro -- a real 12.17% population gain since 2020, paired with a top-5%-statewide school district and low property taxes.
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Learn moreA genuinely fast-growing Springfield-metro suburb
Ozark's population runs approximately 24,004 as of this 2026-vintage estimate, up a real 12.17% from the 2020 census count of 21,400 -- consistent with Christian County's broader Springfield-metro growth-corridor identity.
A top-5%-statewide school district
Ozark R-VI School District ranks in the top 5% of all 553 Missouri school districts on combined proficiency testing, with a 97% graduation rate, across 8 schools and approximately 5,964 students.
A historic downtown on the Finley River
Ozark's own founding traces to James Kimberling's 1833 mill at a bend in the Finley River; the historic downtown survives today as the Historic Ozark River District.
A real, low property-tax rate
Christian County's median effective property tax rate ran a real 0.70% this pass -- meaningfully below both the 1.02% national median and Missouri's own 0.89% statewide average.
Key takeaways
- Ozark's population grew a real 12.17% since the 2020 census, among the fastest growth rates in the Springfield metro.
- Ozark R-VI School District ranks in the top 5% of Missouri districts, with a 97% graduation rate.
- The historic downtown (Historic Ozark River District) traces to an 1833 mill on the Finley River.
- Christian County's 0.70% effective property tax rate runs below both national and Missouri statewide averages.
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